Retain lockdown laws until May end

Chairman of the Shaikh Usman Waliyullah’s Shrine and Masjid (Devatagaha Mosque) Reyyaz Salley has written to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa urging him to extend the lockdown in all areas of the country until the Ramazan festival is over around the end of May to prevent a second wave of the Coronavirus spread in the country.

He expressed concern that Muslims may flock at markets to shop for Ramazan and it could result in spreading Coronavirus in the country and making all efforts taken by the government so far pointless.

He noted in his letter that the Covid-19 recurrence rate in many countries has climbed just days after they eased lockdown and reopened their economy. The second wave of the pandemic has resurfaced in those countries with renewed strength, rising the number of infections that have the potential to become international threats.

“To control the second wave of outbreak, we request you to consider the lockdown in all areas until end of May 2020, a week after Ramazan is over, since Muslims will flock the markets for Ramazan if the restrictions are relaxed dismissing the parameters suggested by the health authorities. This may allow new cases to soar,” he said.